Category: News in Brief

President Nasheed meets with Chief Director of German Police

President Mohamed Nasheed met yesterday with Chief Director of German Police, Günther Freisleben, as part of his European tour.

In the meeting, President Nasheed highlighted the need to rebuild and train qualified police force in the Maldives.

He sought assistance from the German police force for training, saying the German’s experience could help the Maldives in building a qualified police force.

The president noted the importance of making the Maldives police force more “people and community friendly.”

He noted that the main areas of concern in the Maldives were religious radicalism and drug-related offenses, as well as juvenile delinquency.

The two parties discussed how German police can provide assistance to the Maldives.

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President Nasheed meets German Chancellor Merkel

After his arrival in Berlin early yesterday morning, President Mohamed Nasheed met with German Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel yesterday at the Federal Chancellery.

President Nasheed was welcomed with military honours.

The meeting was focused on bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to enhance them.

President Nasheed thanked the German government and people for their support to the Maldives through the democratic reform process. He said he hoped Germany’s assistance would continue in helping to strengthen and consolidate democracy in the country.

The president also commended Chancellor Merkel for her role in helping reach an agreement at COP15 in Copenhagen last year.

Chancellor Merkel congratulated President Nasheed for the transition of democratic reform in the Maldives.

The president and his delegation were given a guided tour of Berlin, which included a visit to Hohenscönhausen Memorial, a former political prison.

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MDP proposes primary elections

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has opted to hold primary elections open to all members during the party’s congress on 26 June, its anniversary.

During a meeting of the party’s national council held at Bandos Island Resort, the party decided to amend its structure towards a presidential rather than a parliamentary system of government.

The main change proposed will be the abolition of the post of party president and vice-president, to be replaced by two vice-chairpersons.

The decision contrasts that take by the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP), which voted against holding primaries during its congress held last month. The proposal was made by the party’s vice president Umar Naseer, who left his role as president of the Islamic Democratic Party to pursue political ambitions.

However the party elected to retain its original charter, which states that the party’s leader will automatically be put forward as its presidential candidate.

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President establishes Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation

President Mohamed Nasheed has established a company called the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation, which will coordinate the marketing and advertising activities of the government.

Nasheed said this was in line with the government’s policy to have similar tasks conducted by a single office, rather than risk duplicating the workload.

The MMPRC will function as a limited government company with one hundred percent government shares.

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Alhan says DRP win in provinces would be “a disaster”

MDP MP Alhan Fahmy has said if his former party the DRP win the provinical elections, it would be a “disaster”.

Miadhu reported Fahmy’s claims at an MDP rally in Kolamafushi that such a win would represent a “major economic and political setback for the country”.

He accused DRP of trying to block the implementation of the MDP manifesto at the provincial level for political reasons.

Fahmy joined MDP last month after he was suspended from the DRP for voting against the party line in a no-confidence motion against Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed. His decision to switch parties was met with glee by the MDP, and was viewed as betrayal by sectors of the DRP.

Alhaan said at Kolamafushi that he was proud to join the MDP and “believed in the vision which President Nasheed has for the country.”

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DRP will increase membership to 40,000, says Thasmeen

The DRP will seek to increase its membership to 40,000 within two months, the party’s president Ahmed Thasmeen Ali told a meeting on the island of Dharavandhoo in Baa Atoll.

The ruling MDP party recently announced it had more members that the opposition DRP and was now the largest party in the country with 30,775 members. The announcement came after a prolonged membership drive particularly in the islands and atolls. DRP is now expected to do the same.

Both parties have said they have membership forms pending with the Elections Commission.

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Hospitalised bank manager vows never to return to the Maldives

The manager of Habib Bank in Male’ who was hospitalised after he was  attacked by four masked men waiting outside his house last week, has told Haveeru he is “leaving, never to return.”

Pakistan-born Mohamed Anjul Jameel said that he had always described the Maldives to his friends as a “harmonious country”, but the attack had changed his view completely.

The 56 year old was stabbed in after four men broke into his apartment on the sixth floor of Machangolhi Uraha in Male’.

He speculated that the men had known his contract was almost over and that he was preparing to leave the country, and were after his savings.

“After snatching my wallet and searching the apartment, they asked me where I kept the money. They injured me severely, as I did not respond to them,” he said.

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President departs on four-nation European tour

President Mohamed Nasheed has departed this morning on his four-nations European tour.

The president is to visit Germany, Iceland, Switzerland and Finland.

President Nahseed will meet with political and industry leaders, as well as investors and climate experts in all four countries.

The president is scheduled to visit ITB Berlin, an international travel and trade show held yearly in Berlin.

He will also hold a lecture on climate change at the Freie Universität Berlin hosted by the Environmental Policy Research Centre. The Freie Universität is one of the leading research universities in Germany, and ranks among the best in the country.

President Nasheed will then attend a public lecture in Iceland, followed by a speech at the Seminar and Policy Debate organised by the Finnish Institute of International Affaris (FIIA), which produces topical information on international relations with the EU.

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Government signs agreement with Dutch Docklands for floating golf course

The government has signed an agreement with Dutch Docklands of the Netherlands to develop, operate and manage water properties in the Maldives.

Dutch Docklands is a global leader in tailor-made floating developments (such as floating beaches and restaurants) using methods and procedures it claims will reduce the environmental impacts on sea-life and minimise the changes to the coast lines.

The agreement includes a floating convention centre and golf course in the Maldives.

The agreement was signed at a ceremony held at the President’s Office last Thursday afternoon.

President Mohamed Nasheed and Ambassador of the Netherlands, Mrs Leoni Margaretha Cuelenaere, were present at the ceremony.

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